The SeaWolf's Howl
by WyvernTamer
Summary: A young girl on Tortuga, her life turned upside down from deaths and whatnot, becomes the captain of the pirate ship, The SeaWolf's Howl. Now, with a crew of young men, she sets off on an adventure that will last a lifetime
1. The Sea Wolf's Howl  The Beggining

I never thought that a life on the high seas was for me. Nor did I imagine that my father left for me in his will when he died a pirate ship. But he did, complete with seventeen or so cannons, gunpowder, rifles and other such stuff. Not to mention he already had a crew for this ship. A crew made of mostly young men between the ages of fifteen and twenty three, eager for a life of adventure, away from their homes, exchanging true family for one of no blood relation to them at all.

And this all came into my life when I was only thirteen years old.

To top this, he also left in his will for me to become the captain of these adventure seekers. Mind you, the idea of becoming a pirate captain scared me beyond all belief. Mother told me all sorts of tales about them: thieves who stole treasure and young women for whatever reason they wished, people who raided Spanish ships loaded with valuables, along with the stories of the Asian pirate Sao Fang and the notoriously famous pirate of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow.

But as the years went on, that one idea began to take over my mind. Mother had died from an unknown sickness, my brother and sister, Maria and Jonathan, had set out to find their own callings in life. I was left alone, by myself, without any known family still alive.

All the while when all of this happened, piracy seemed to be the one thing that seemed to be my path of choice. It was now my fifteenth birthday, on September 13. If my mother was still alive, she would have prepared a cake, frosted in chocolate with slices of any fruit we could find on top of it. Those days seemed distant from the life I now lived: just a teenage girl in torn-up pants and a shirt, living on the streets of Tortuga.

Then, something unexpected happened. It was a rainy day, humid beyond all belief despite the tiny drops of water falling from the sky that you thought would make the day a bit cooler. A man with pale skin, wearing no shirt and only a pair of loose black pants, came up to me, long black hair blowing in the sea breeze.

He kneeled down at my side, saying "Are you okay?" I shook my head in response. He didn't know how much I've suffered when my life turned upside down: mother and father dying, the sudden way of life as a homeless girl that I was forced into as all of the horrible events of my life unfolded….

There was a _thud!_ And I found the largest coconut I've ever seen in front of me. The stranger took out a knife and cut the fruit in half, handing one to me. I drank away at the liquid inside of it so quickly that one would believe I'd been deprived of something drinkable. Which was the truth actually, along with not being able to find a single piece of food for the longest time.

He looked at me for the longest time as I drank away. Mostly at the necklace I wore: a single piece of emerald placed in the middle of a small shell.

"That necklace…" he said in a hushed voice. "… You're the captain, aren't you?"

I nearly chocked on my drink. "Captain? What do you mean…" My voice trailed off as I remembered my father's will: the ship, the crew, a life on the sea.

"I suppose you can consider me one, for a ship that was left for me by a dead man."

He sighed. "Well, might I suggest you get ready to leave? Me and the rest of your crew wish to set out from this island as soon as possible."

That was the beginning of new life on the high seas: as the captain of the Sea-Wolf's Howl.


	2. A Letter Between Criminals

Chapter 1 – A Letter between Criminals

"Damn," I said, now age sixteen and dragging my first mate out of a tavern called the Swan and Boar. "You've seriously got to stop getting drunk almost every night! If you get too drunk you could give away our real identities and then we'd be hung from the gallows."

A few other crew members emerged from the darkness: Jed, the muscle of my crew, Jonathan, who often got himself in trouble for no apparent reason and Noah, who was one of the youngest ever on board, at the age of fourteen. Younger then anyone else, as I had said that no one under the age of fifteen could be a crew member I made an exception for this little blonde boy though, as he had the true heart of a pirate and reminded me of my brother at his age.

They grabbed him by the legs and shoulders, carrying him off to the ship, with me leading them. The sight of a drunk man being carried off wasn't an unusual sight in a town ruled by alcohol and bar fights, also known as my where I've lived for my childhood.

The ship was docked only a few paces away down by the water's edge. The other crew members saw us approaching and lowered a board onto the beach for us to climb up. It was somewhat difficult for everyone to get up, as walking while carrying a drunk friend isn't the easiest of tasks. Lucky I had Jed helping me.

That evening, a meeting with the crew was called for on the deck at supper. Poorly made tables were pulled up along with wooden stools. The crew constantly told me that I didn't need to sit on such a poorly made stool and to bring up my captain's chair, but time and time again I refused to do so: it made me feel superior to the crew, and I felt like they were family and equal to me.

"Alright" I said loud enough so the crew could hear. "Does anyone know why we're here at this meeting tonight?"

Noah raised his hand high into the air. "Because of those wanted posters we saw at our last couple of stops?"

"Right. Those are the reasons that we've been so careful hiding our identities. Our troubles are twice as much, as now our names are known on this island, and also that the English government is using money to reward anyone that delivers a pirate to them so they can hang 'em by the necks like geese ready to be roasted."

Jed blurted out. "Well, we sure ain't going to be swinging in the breeze. We have one of the quickest ships on the sea, next to the Black Pearl and Flying Dutchman." Most of the crew nodded in agreement with him.

"True." I said. "But that means nothing now. Heard some drunks in that bar that said that a man named Captain Norrington has made a deal with Davy Jones himself."

A look or fear crept onto Noah and a few other's faces. "D...does that mean we're as good as dead, Captain Ruthford?"

I sighed. "For the last time, don't call me that. I don't want to be considered higher then my crew. Got it? The only time you call me that is if we meet up with any other pirates or are called on by the Brethren Court…"

There was a loud screech as a white bird dotted with black specks all over it's feathers dove down from out of nowhere. It was our messenger bird, Ini-Herit which means "he who brings back the distant one". A suitable name for him, as it was this bird that bought back the cook, Nyasar, after we thought him to be dead after falling out of a window in the galley. We worried for days about him, as he was a valued member of the crew not only because he provided with warm meals mostly every night but also because he had the sharpest eyes of any pirate I've ever met.

A piece of paper was tied around the bird's leg, with a crimson seal on it with a kind of picture on it that looked Oriental and of a swan.

"Sumbhajee" I mumbled under my breath as a removed the paper from Ini-Herit's left leg.

It read:

_Dear Captain Maria Ruthford,_

_You have been called upon by Captain Elizabeth Swann, pirate lord of the South China Sea and current Pirate King, to serve under her for the time being. She has recognized your superior skill as a captain despite your young age, and values such strong leadership in those your gender. _

_Should you accept her invitation, she shall send you a second letter stating when and where you and the captain will meet. Other pirate lords will be with her, myself included, so give them your full respect. Be prepared to fight at any given moment: you never know if our enemies (Norrington, Davy Jones himself, etc.) are following our moves._

_Sincerely,_

_Sri __Sumbhajee, pirate lord of the Indian Ocean_

Jonathan asked. "Who's it from, Maria?"

"Can't tell you. Private business." I replied simply. But I can say this: get your best clothes and be on your toes. We're off to see the King."


	3. The Captain's Reply

Chapter 2 – The Captain's Reply

Nyamar walked out of the galley with bowls of hot soup made from crabs and coconut milk, saying to me. "I heard you mention something 'bout a king. Of England?" He asked, his red hair blowing in the soft sea breeze and his Indian necklace swishing around on a black leather cord.

"No. Of the Brethren Court." Immediately, there were yells of excitement and happiness from around the crew.

"We've gotten noticed at long last!" A blonde-haired pirate named Nicholas exclaimed. "Maybe Maria here's been chosen to be a Pirate Lord!" Another one said.

"SHUSH UP!" Jed yelled at the top of his lungs, his face turning red and his short brown hair standing on end. "Let the captain speak."

I gave him a nod and continued. "It's not like that. Although the idea of myself being a Pirate Lord would be pretty impressive." I said, giving a small grin and adjusting the purple and gold bandana I wore on my head. "But I suppose you guys should know what was written. It mentions the entire crew. We have the honor of being called upon by Elizabeth Swann, the Pirate King and Pirate Lord of the South China Sea, to serve under her command for the time being. Whatever reason she may have for calling us, I don't know."

Taking a huge slurp of soup, which was like lava sliding down my throat, I continued. "This is only if I choose to accept her invitation. So… do I have any objections from a crew member about this?" No one raised their voices to protest. "Alright then. From the fact that no one's answering me, I take it that everyone agrees with the fact that we are to serve under the Pirate King as of now?" One last time, the crew let out a cheer which was followed by a contest to see who could chug down the most of that evening's meal.

Leaving the noise of the deck behind, I and Ini-Herit retired to my quarters for the time being, to write the reply toSri Sumbhajee. Him and I were fairly good friends, and got along pretty well for two pirates who had completely different views on things, that is.

The bird flew off of my shoulder to his perch, which had so many random shiny objects wrapped around it that sometimes I would joke it looks like Jack Sparrow's hair, braided with all kinds of items.

Taking out a piece of perfectly flat paper and a quill dipped in black ink, I began to pen the words back:

_Dear Sri Sumbhajee, Pirate Lord of the Indian Ocean,_

_I am writing to you in response to the letter you sent to me earlier that just came. _

_Elizabeth Swann should be pleased to hear that I and my crew have agreed to serve her for the time being. All I need now is where to meet her and when, so I and the crew can set sail for our destination as soon as possible._

_I know this letter is quite short, but I do not know all the fine details to this. Hopefully, in the next letter, I may get the details I need._

_Sincerely, _

_Captain Maria Ruthford, captain of The Sea Wolf's Howl_

Seeing as this was sufficient enough for now, I rolled up the letter and sealed it with a wax seal, with the initials M.R. on it, and tied it tightly onto the bird's leg. Opening the window in my room, the bird soared off to wherever Sumbhajee was. Strange how that bird seemed to now the exact place where the person he was meant to deliver a message to and never get lost.

There was a knock at the door. "Enter." I said, fiddling with the silver griffin ring I wore on my middle finger on my left hand. The door opened and my first mate, Rodual, black hair hanging from his head like strands of seaweed, pulled up a chair and sat down before me.

"You really need to stop drinking, man." I said, throwing him an apple I had on my desk. "Take to eating fruit or something that won't get you to reveal that we're pirates. Would do you and the entire crew wonders."

He took a large bite out of the red piece of fruit. "Yeah, I know. It's like a bad habit, I'm telling you. Once you start, you just can't stop."

"Yeah well, kick the habit somehow. But why'd you come down here? Certainly it's not to talk about your horrid drinking problem."

"Far from it." He replied, brown eyes sparking like polished stone, as he pulled out a map of some kind from his back pocket. "Know what this is, by any chance?"

Snatching it from my first mate, I unrolled it as quick as possible. What greeted my eyes was a complex design, appearing to be of Asian origin with Chinese letters on the left side. Some creature, which resembled a black and white crane surrounded by a circle of blue fire. Bald monks stared with non-moving eyes at the creature.

"Well, do you?" He said, taking another bite of apple. "I think it's a clue to what we've been looking for."

"You mean Shangri La?" I questioned him. He gave me a small nod. "Rodual, can you read any Asian language, by any chance?"

" I can't, sadly. Maybe Nyamar can: he's been all over the world to cook in different styles."

"I think I'll ask him then. Hopefully he doesn't have to cook more of tonight's meal for the crew. You know how crazy the crew gets when he makes coconut milk and crab soup." First mate following me, I walked on out to the deck, where the crew was now playing a game where you imitate someone you dislike and the others have to guess who you're imitating.

Nyasar was standing by himself, playing a tune on his harmonica called "The Sailor's One Love": I recognized it immediately as my dad used to play it for me all the time when I couldn't get to sleep.

"Hey." I called to him. "Come over here for a minute, will you?"

He stopped playing that tune suddenly and walked over to us quickly, saying. "Yeah, Maria? What do you want?"

Holding up the scroll, I replied. "You know different languages and how to read other kinds of writing, correct?" He gave a small nod. "I want you to tell me what the writing on this means."

Leading the two boys to my room, they took their seats across from me. Nyasar began to look at the scroll carefully before saying. "It's Japanese kanji, but the images on this are Chinese. The bird there's the Chinese version of the phoenix being surrounded by Buddist monks."

"Does the writing," I questioned the chef. "say anything about Shangri – La?"

"Not anything I can make out that says anything about this paradise we're looking for except this." He said. "All it reads is "Where the phoenix rises is where the land prospers." Vague clues, don't you think?"

"Hey. Even vague clues can help in the long run" I said, dismissing my two crew mates and keeping the scroll with me.

I pondered over the words on it. " 'Where the phoenix rises is where the land prospers'. That could be anywhere in the world. Well, maybe not the icy tops of mountains."

Turning towards the open window Ini-Herit flew out of, I stared at the never-ending sea before me and wondered _Where will these sudden events take us to?_

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Hope you liked this chapter! Stay tuned to find out more where Capt. Maria and her crew will journey to next!

Please review!!!! I won't update until I get AT LEAST 5 REVIEWS!!!


	4. Hoist The Colors

Chapter 3 – Hoist the Colors

The next day was dedicated to looking for nice and decent clothing to wear when they met with Elizabeth Swann and the other pirate lords. It was no problem for myself, since I had a hug chest filled with fine clothing, in case the moment ever came that I would have to look presentable. The crew, however, had great difficulty.

They didn't want to go into town and waist the little money they had with them, so they had to attempt to make their own. Being men, they knew nothing about sewing with a needle. But little Noah was one of the few who did, as his mother was a seamstress and taught him the skills that she knew. So everyone would come up to him and ask for his assistance.

By the time the sun began to set, we all ourselves the most presentable garments that we could possibly make myself included. I never was one to like dresses, so my own fancy clothes consisted of long jackets in shades of brown, black and deep purple with a different bandana for each.

As I was sewing up my favorite jacket, the one I always wore which was in need of some serious mending, there was a persistent tapping noise on my window. I looked over and saw Ini-Herit there with a message.

Opening the window, the little bird flew in and landed on the table. The piece of paper that was tied around his right leg came undone easily, as I unrolled it and read what it said.

_To Captain Maria Ruthford, captain of the Sea-Wolf's Howl, _

_I, Elizabeth Swann, have decided on where to meet you and your crew. I have decided that the best place to meet is along the Nile River in Egypt, Africa. Yes, I know it may be quite a trip for you and your crew. But the reason being we have to meet here is because of Captain Norrington and him teaming up with Davy Jones himself. If we can get as far away from the English as we can, the better the chance we have of not being hung. _

_We are to meet in the city of __Faiyum, outside of one of the many temples dedicated to the god Sobek. Ini-Herit knows of which one to lead you to. If you get lost, just ask anyone to show you to the largest one there. Everyone in the city knows where it is. _

_I look forward to meeting you there. May the luck of the world be with you._

_Sincerely,_

_Elizabeth Swann, pirate lord of the South China Sea and current pirate king_

With the arrival of the letter, I rushed on out to the deck and yelled to the crew members. "We have our destination! Let's go! We're headed to Egypt!"

The crew on deck heard my voice and suddenly there was a flurry of action. Sleeping crew members were awakened and put to work immediately. Someone ran onto land to find any crew members who were out to buy clothing. In a matter of minutes, those crew members on land came back to the ship, with new clothing, and the anchor being pulled up from the waters of the ocean.

Within a half hour, we were back on the open seas, the wind pushing us along and out flag waving in the breeze. A young man named Raymos stood at the wheel, while I gave him the directions on where we were headed.

"You sure you want to go this way?" He said. "People said that they've seen British ships over here."

"Well, do you have any better ideas? It's the quickest way to reach Egypt: better then traveling through the Atlantic, where England has tons of ships sailing. No, once we reach Polynesia, there won't be any ships out there, save a few of the natives."

It felt good to be back out on the sea. I've gotten so used to it that it felt like a second home. And besides, it was rare that I ever got to return back to Tortuga, so it was comforting to know that I felt at home out here as well as back there. And plus, it was good to have crew mates that you were so close to that they were like an extended version of your family.

I stood by myself, watching Ini-Herit dive into the sea every now and then to catch a fish, when Nyasar ran up to me. "Marie, we've got a problem. Looks like there's British ships in the distance, and they're headed our way."

With this news, I yelled out "Raise false colors!!" Immediately, the ship's flag came down and a British flag went up, to conceal the identity of us. There was no way any of us wanted to be hung from the gallows.

Every crew member held their breaths as the ships passed by us, and for a few minutes no one spoke. But finally, they were at least two miles or so away from us and it was safe to raise the black flag with the red wolf's head once again.

- - - - - - - - - -

It would be only two hours later until we ran into another ship, this time a pirate ship with a black flag that had a heart on it being stabbed by a sword. I didn't know what was to happen if they decided to ambush us and try to take us down, but we were prepared to fight them, if something did happen.

Lucky for us, there was no need to. They simply passed by us waving and saying hello, with their captain, a tall red-haired man, shouted to be careful of Davy Jones and Norrington.

"Damn buccaneers." Noah said, munching on an apple. "They think they own the seas, when they're only false pirates. They deserve to die, that's what I say." Such words from Noah were shocking, as everyone stopped what they were doing and stared for at least thirty seconds before resuming what they were doing.

Soon he walked off to attend to his duties, as Ini-Herit flew back to my shoulder, feathers perfectly dry despite the fact that he had been diving after fish for at least thirty minutes. Well, he was a bird whose diet centered around fish and had to dive into water, so maybe that's why his feathers were always dry when he came up.

- - - - - - - - - -

It had been at least four days at sea before we even hit the small islands of Polynesia. The wind had died down constantly, slowing our progress to reach Egypt. The crew didn't mind though, since most of them had never seen a sea turtle, which followed the ship for at least thirty minutes.

The day passed by quickly, as the sun set. The wind had picked up again, so we were able to cover many more miles then we had during the day. Before we had been in Polynesia, now we could clearly see the coast of Africa.

"LAND HO!" Rodual yelled out from the crow's nest, the rest of the crew running on nothing but pure energy, it seemed. I was currently writing a letter to be sent to an acquaintance of mine in Asia. Tying it up to Ini-Herit's leg, he took off with a loud screech and flew to his destination.

The winds had picked up greatly, so we made our way to the entrance of the great Nile River, which ran all the way through Africa and Egypt. We had to first sail the Red Sea before hitting our destination. I knew very little of this land, this place I've heard that priests use flesh-eating beetles and that the gods smite those who have done wrong with fire from the sky.

But such were only rumors. I myself didn't know if the gods frowned upon pirates, but I'm pretty sure they didn't have anything against ones that don't worship a god or some deity of some kind. So at least I was lucky there; we pirates praise the goddess Calypso.

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It didn't take long to sail the Red Sea, as Calypso was with us for the remainder of the evening. We sailed non-stop until we saw a triangular shape looming far in the distance, illuminated by the moon's light. The Great Pyramid.

We had reached Egypt.

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Well, here's Chapter 3. READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!! I WANT AT LEAST THREE REVIES ON THIS CHAPTER BEFORE I POST THE NEXT ONE UP!


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